Tubing is used to transport variety of fluids in various applications. In many applications, such as in engine assemblies, it is often necessary to join rigid hosing to flexible tubing. In conventional assemblies, for example, rigid metal tubes are coupled to flexible stainless steel braided hoses. These conventional tube-to-hose joints require a number of components and labor to reduce the potential for leaks at the joints, particularly when used to transport or store flammable, combustible, and/or hazardous fluids. For example, tube-to-hose adapters are typically machined and welded or brazed, or formed and crimped or swaged onto the hose. However, these conventional tube-to-hose adapters and joints are prone to metal fatigue and/or degradation of materials due to exposure to harsh environments (e.g., high temperatures, pressures, and/or chemical aggressiveness) and abrasions, which can result in potential leak paths and, in the worst case, catastrophic failure of the hose assembly.
Despite decades of research, there remains an unmet need for tubing that is resistant to chemically aggressive fluids, and/or capable of withstanding vibration, pressures, and temperatures found in automobile and aircraft engines, and cost-effective.